SCHOOL DISTRICT OF RIVER FALLS
Property Tax Information Site

This site provides information for taxpayers of School District of River Falls regarding how the district's proposed bond referendum will affect their property taxes. The site was prepared by the school district's financial advisors, Ehlers. If you have questions about the information on this site, you may call Ehlers at the phone number listed
below.

About the Referendum

The district will be holding a referendum on April 3, 2018 seeking voter approval of two ballot questions.

Ballot Question 1 authorizes the district to issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $45,860,000 for the purpose of paying the cost of a District-wide school building and improvement program consisting of: improving, upgrading, renovating, remodeling and maintaining various school facilities including Greenwood, Rocky Branch, Westside and Montessori Elementary Schools, Meyer Middle School, River Falls High School and the transportation and maintenance buildings; constructing and equipping additions to Greenwood, Rocky Branch, Westside and Montessori Elementary Schools for classrooms, multi-purpose/ flexible space and cafeteria/kitchen space; demolition of a portion of the Academy Building and portable classrooms at Westside Elementary School; upgrading technology infrastructure; site and athletic facility improvements; and acquiring furnishings, fixtures and equipment.

Ballot Question 2 authorizes the district to issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $2,100,000 for the purpose of paying the costs of school facility improvements consisting of the addition of artificial turf and lighting to outdoor fields, parking and other improvements.

The proposed bond issue will be issued with a term of nearly 20 years, affecting property taxes beginning with the 2018 through 2037 taxes, which are payable in 2019 through 2038. To estimate the tax impact of the proposed bond issue on your 2018 taxes, follow one of the options below.

To estimate the tax impact of the referendum based on your 2017 taxes, follow one of the options below. 2017 tax bills must be used until the 2018 tax bills are received in mid to late December.

Determining Your Property Value

Before you begin, we suggest that first you find your most recent tax bill. It is titled "State of Wisconsin Real Estate Property Tax Bill for 2017", mailed by your local municipality in December of 2017.

The tax impact of the proposed referendum will begin with the 2018 property taxes, which will be based on the 2018 total assessed value of your property. Since the 2018 assessments are not available at this time, you can use the 2017 property values to estimate the tax impact on your property.

To estimate the tax impact, we will be using the total estimated fair market value of your property from your State of Wisconsin Real Estate Property Tax Bill for 2017. You will find your fair market value listed as "Total Est. Fair Mkt." on your tax bill. Please note that we will not be using the "Total Assessed Value", which is also included on your tax bill.

Located in the upper half of your Real Estate Property Tax Bill for 2017, you will find several rows of property values that appear as follows:

Please note that the format each municipality uses for their tax bills may vary, but they all contain the Fair Market Value.

Option 1: Use the Tax Impact Chart

You can use a tax impact table to get a quick estimate of the tax impact on your property. Locate the equalized, or market, value of your property as listed under “Total Est. Fair Mkt.” value on your tax bill. Simply find the value in the left-hand column of the chart that best approximates the fair market value of your property. To view the tax impact table, click
here.

Option 2: Use the Ehlers Tax Calculator

For a more precise estimate of the tax impact, enter the equalized, or market, value (labeled "Total Est. Fair Mkt."" on your tax bill). Enter this value below to see the estimated tax increase for your property.

Total Est. Fair Mkt. Value:(See your 2017 tax bill)

All property tax impact calculations are estimates.

Property tax impact calculations of the referendum are estimates for the initial year of this authorization only, and do not include tax levies for other purposes. The actual tax amount associated with the successful passage of this referendum will vary based on the following factors:

Actual level of state aid that the District qualifies for as certified by the State of Wisconsin in October of each year.

Actual assessed value of your property.

Actual property valuation and tax rate within the resident municipality.

School levy credits applied to the tax impact (not included in tax impact
estimates).

Changes in assessed values of other property in the municipality.

Changes in equalized values of properties in the municipalities located within the school district boundaries.

Deductibility of Property Taxes for State and Federal Income Taxes

If you itemize deductions for federal income taxes, you may deduct property taxes paid. Therefore, any increase in property taxes resulting from the proposed referendum may reduce your income tax liability.

Contacting Ehlers

This site was prepared by Ehlers, the school district’s financial advisors. If you have questions about the information on the website or if you would like more information about how the proposed referendum will affect your taxes, call the Ehlers Property Tax Hotline at 1-800-552-1171 during regular business hours and ask to speak to any member of the Education Team. You may also send an e-mail message to wischools@ehlers-inc.com; please include your name and a daytime phone number so that we may contact you if we need more information.